RockHounds lose wild game to Drillers

From staff reports

Published 6:55 pm, Saturday, August 11, 2012

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TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa’s Michael Mitchell hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to give the Drillers an 8-6 victory in a wild game on Saturday night at ONEOK Park.

Mitchell’s home run was one of three home runs in the game as the RockHounds hit two, both three-run shots. But the highlight of the game for Midland was pulling off a triple play in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Mitchell, who hit the game-winning home run, lined out to Josh Horton who then tossed it to Dusty Coleman to tag out Angelys Nina and then to Anthony Aliotti at first who completed the play by getting Mike Zuanich out. It was the second time in two years the RockHounds had turned a triple play as they turned one in May of 2011 at Citibank Ballpark.

Those defensive heroics seemed to give the RockHounds some momentum heading into their half of the seventh when Tyler Ladendor hit a three-run homer to left field to give Midland a 6-4 advantage.

But the Drillers cut the lead to 6-5 with a run in the bottom of the seventh, and then Mitchell hit his game-winning shot to left off RockHounds reliever Gary Daley in the eighth.

Midland’s other three-run home run was hit by Dusty Coleman in the second inning as Coleman was 2 for 4 with the three RBI. Miles Head also had two hits for the RockHounds.

The two teams will continue their three game series at 7:05 p.m. today in Tulsa.